?The Torch Festival of Yi Nationality

江蘇 陳傳光

□語篇導讀

彝族的火把節來源于一個關于英雄戰勝魔王(或天神)的傳說,這位英雄與魔王摔跤、角力,還教人們點燃火把燒殺惡靈所化的蝗蟲,保護了村寨和莊稼。為紀念這一事件,每年的火把節就要象征性地復演傳說中的故事,這漸漸成了節日活動的主要內容。彝族人民是怎么度過這個節日的呢？讓我們一起閱讀下文吧!

The Torch Festival is a traditional festival celebrated by Yi nationality in southwestern China.It usually falls on the 24th day of the sixth lunar month with three days of celebration.Fire has already taken the position as god in their life.The Torch Festival is a special occasion to pay tribute to the god of fire．

During the festival,big torches tied up with dried wood are planted in all villages.Small torches are placed in front of the door of each house.When night falls,the torches are lit and the villages are as bright as daytime.At the same time,people walk around the fields and houses,holding small torches and placing the torches in the field corners.Later in the night,people would gather around a five-meter-tall platform,on which the shrine of the god of fire is built.Then with the drums and dances,the fire ritual begins．

On this specialoccasion,young ladies get dressed best in their own way.Their clothes are colorful and have hundreds of varieties．

The Torch festival is also a grand occasion for sports.Men show their strength of character from many exciting sports activities such as horse races,bullfights,arrow shooting,wrestling,tugs-of-wars and swimming etc.In all these activities,a competitor may win both the game and“a girl's eyes and heart”．

Among the traditional festivals of the Chinese minorities,The Torch Festival is one of the most charming festivals and it is regarded as“the carnival of the orient”．

◆詞語積淀

1.occasion/?'ke??n/n.機會；時機；場合

2.platform/'pl?tf??m/n.平臺；站臺

3.shrine/?rain/n.圣地；廟

4.ritual/'r?t?u?l/n.典禮；儀式

5.variety/v?'ra??t?/n.多樣；種類；變化

6.grand/gr?nd/adj.宏偉的；豪華的；極重要的

7.pay tribute to稱贊；歌頌；表示敬意

◆典句賞析

1.During the festival,big torches tied up with dried wood are planted in all villages.節日期間,所有的村莊都豎起用干木柴捆綁成的大火把。

during作為介詞,表示一定時間中的某個時間段,意為“在……(的整個)期間”；tie up with...是固定詞組,意為“把……捆綁起來”,其后接名詞或者代詞。這里的tied up with是過去分詞短語作定語,修飾名詞torches。

【即時嘗試】地板上有些用舊報紙捆扎著的舊書。

2.In all these activities,a competitor may win both the game and“a girl's eyes and heart”.在這些活動中參賽者不僅可能會贏得比賽,還會贏得“美人的眼球和心”。

both...and...是一個常見的并列連詞短語,意為“既……又……；……和……都”,它通常連接兩個相同性質的句子成分,但有時后一成分可能省略與前一成分相同的詞。它若連接兩個成分作主語,謂語動詞總是用復數形式。

【即時嘗試】我和他對你的答案都很滿意。

3.The Torch Festival is one of the most charming festivals and it is regarded as“the carnival of the orient”.彝族火把節是中國少數民族傳統節日中最具魅力的節日之一,它享有“東方狂歡節”的美譽。

be regarded as sth.是一個常見的被動語態形式,意為“……被視為；……被看作；……被當成”,相當于be considered as sth.,as后面接名詞或者代詞。

【即時嘗試】雷鋒被視作一個好榜樣。

(答案見63頁)

譯文助讀

火把節是中國西南部彝族人民慶祝的一個傳統節日。火把節始于陰歷六月二十四日,慶祝活動持續3天。火在彝族人的生活中已經占據了神明的位置。火把節就是彝族人民為了贊頌火神而舉行的一個特殊的節日。

節日期間,所有的村莊都豎起用干木材捆綁成的大火把。每家每戶門前也都放置了小一點的火把。當夜幕降臨,人們點燃村里所有的火把,整個村莊便亮如白晝。同時,舉著火把的人們在田地和房子周圍列隊前進,并且他們將火把插在田地的角落。夜間稍晚時分,人們便會聚集到一個高達5米的火神的祭壇周圍。隨著鼓聲響起,舞蹈開始,祭祀典禮也拉開了帷幕。

在這個特別的場合,年輕的女士們以自己的方式裝飾自己。她們的衣服顏色豐富多彩,款式多樣。

火把節也是一場運動盛會。男士們通過許多刺激的體育活動來展現自己堅強的個性，這些活動包括賽馬、斗牛、射箭、摔跤、拔河、游泳等。在所有這些活動中都會有人脫穎而出,佼佼者可能贏得比賽和“美人的眼球和心”。

彝族火把節是中國少數民族傳統節日中最具魅力的節日之一,它享有著“東方狂歡節”的美譽。